Insect trap



Sept 30, 1941 A l.. B. scvoTT ET'AL 2,257,655

INSECT TRAP Filed May 17, 1941 ternel/s Patented Sept. 30, 1941 INSEC'`TRAP Lincoln E. Scott and Joe Milam, Clarksville, Tenn., dedicated tothe free use of the People in the territory of the United StatesApplication May 17, lhserial No. 393,900'

(Cl. li3--10'l) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amendedApril 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 2 Claims.

This application is made under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended bythe act of April 30, 1928, and the invention herein described andclaimed, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for th-eGovernment of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment to us of any royalty there- We hereby dedicate theinvention herein described to the free use of the people in theterritory of the United States to take effect on the granting of apatent to us.

This invention relates to insecticide traps, and the general object isthe provision of a device for trapping moths, especially moths of thetobacco worm, Protoparce quinquemaculcta (Haw.) and the tomato worm,Protoparce sexta (Joh).

In the accompanying drawing, there is illustrated an embodiment of thisinvention in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section; and

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring with more particularity to the drawing in which like numeralsdesignate like parts, the embodiment illustrated comprises a screenhousing having suitable frame members 9, supporting side walls IU and IIof screen, `a screen top I2, and two end walls I3 and I4, of screen. Thelower portions of these end walls I3 and I4 are each shaped in the formof funnels I5 and I6, respectively, diverging inwardly and terminating adistance about midway between the two end walls, but laterally offset`from each other so that a moth entering through one of the :tunnelswould not encounter the opening in the other funnel to effect an escape.Above Vthe funnels I5 and I6, a space is provided to retain the moths inthe housing. This space should be` small enough so that moths lodgedtherein will not be able to control their flight within it. An area ofabout 30 X 35" X 12" above the Vfunnels 1I5 and I6 has been found to besatisfactory forv `of a reservoir I9 painted green, through the top ofwhich white cones 2U are disposed, substantially as illustrated, withthe apex of each extending downwardly into an attrahent solution 2I inthe reservoir. An aperture 22 through each of the cones permits theattrahent solution to enter the cones 2), upon whichthe moths may feed.The reservoirs I9 are supported in position on a cross-beamV 23,substantially as illustrated.

The operation of this invention is as follows: The moths are attractedto the trap from a considerable distance `by the odor of the attrahentsolution. When they reach the immediate vicinity of the trap, however,the response becomes partially visual on account of the feedersappearing to the moths like a cluster of jimson weed blooms. The mothenters the larger end of one of the tunnels, extends his feeding tubeand by means of it feels his way along the screen-wire side of thefunnel toward the interior and finally reaches the small end of thefunnel through which he sees the feeders clearly. After drinking fromone or more of the cones 20, the moth iiies directly upward, strikes thetop of the trap and nally comes to rest on theinside of the top, or onone of the sides.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A moth trap comprising a screen housing having inwardly divergingscreen tunnels on opposite sides, terminating within the housingaVdistance about midway between the two sides and laterally oiiset, andamoth attractant within the housing adjacent the throat of each funnel,said attractant including a reservoir resembling jimson weed in bloomand an odorous attrahent solution, said housing having a space above thetunnels to lodge moths, said space being of a size insuilicient topermit lodged moths to gain controlled flight. 1

2. A moth trap comprising a screen housing having inwardly divergingscreen funnels on opposite sides, terminatingwithin the housing adistance about midway between the two sides and laterally oiset, andmeans for supporting a moth attrahent within the housing adjacent thethroat of each funnel, said housing having a space above the tunnels tolodge moths, said space being of a size insucient to permit lodged mothsto gain controlled flight.

LINCOLN B. SCOTT. JOE MILAM.

